Date-indicator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. Y

H. J. MEIXELL.

DATE INDIGATOR. No. 389,972. Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

Unrrsn STATES PATENT Fries.

HENBY J. MEIXELL, OF POTTSTOVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DATE=INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,972, dated September 25, 1888.

Application filed March 523, 1887. Serial No. 232,162. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY J. MEIXELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pottstown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and 11sel'ul Improvement in Date-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for indicating the dates on which obligations (such as promissory notes) mature; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an indicator embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the linear a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of the indicating sheet or roll.

A represents an inclosing-caso of suitable size. The ends of this case have their front edges inclined upwardly and rearwardly, and in their opposing sides are made grooves B, which are arranged parallel with the inclined front edges. In the upper side of the case is journaled ahorizontallongitudinally-arranged roller, 0, having a crank-handle, D, at one end, by means of which the roller may be rotated. In the lower side of the case is journaled a similar roller, E, having a crank-handle, F, at one end.

G represents a third roller, which is also journaled in the ends of the case, and is arranged between the rollers G and E and near the inclined front edges of the slides.

H represents a long sheet of paper or other suitable material. The upper end of this sheet is attached to the upper roller, 0, and is partly rolled thereon, and the lower end of the sheet is attached to the lower roller, E, and is partly rolled thereon. The rear side of the sheet passes over the front side of the roller G. A slide or plate, I, forms the front side of the case and is fitted in the groove 13, and is provided with a horizontal slot or opening, K, arranged in front of the roller G, thus permitting a portion of the sheet to be seen through the slot or opening.

L represents aspring-arm,which is attached at one end to the rear inner side of the case.

The free end of the spring-arm bears against that portion of the sheet which is on the upper roller. A similar spring-arm, M, has one end attached to the bottom of the case and its free end bearing under that portion of the sheet on the lower. roller. These spring-arms retard the rotation of the rollers and serve to keep the sheet taut.

The sheet has a table, 0, which is divided into five vertical columns arranged side by side, each of which contains three hundred and eighty-five dates written consecutively. The dates in the first column commence with December 22 and end with January 10. The dates in the second column, which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for fifteen days with three days of grace, begin with January 9, or eighteen days after the first date in the first column, and end with January 28, or eighteen days after the last date in the first column. The dates in the third co1umn,which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for thirty days with three days of grace, begin with January 24, or thirty-three days after the first date in the first column, and end with February 12, or thirty-th rec days alter the last date in the first column. The dates in the fourth column, which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for sixty days with three days of grace, begin with February 23, or sixtythree days after the first date in the first column, and end with March 14, or sixty-three days after the last date in the first'column. The dates in the fifth column, which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for ninety days with three days of grace, begin with March 25, or ninety-three days after the first date in the first column, and end with April 13, or ninety-three days after the last date of the first column.

Other columns may be added for obligations for longer periods than ninety days.

Above or below the table-the sheet is inscribed with a table for the leap-year period, the said table having five vertical columns,as before, inscribed with consecutive dates, the first column beginning with November 18 and ending with March 10, and the remaining columns of dates being arranged in horizontal lines with the dates of the first column, and being eighteen, thirty-three, sixty-three, and

ninety-three days later, respectively, than the aligning dates of the first column. In the table 0 the month of February is given its full leap-year value of twenty-nine days. A sheet having these tables is good for all time.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Then the upper roller is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow ain Fig. 2, the sheet is rolled on the upper roller and unrolled from the lower roller, and is thereby moved upward, and causes the lines of dates to pass successively before the opening or slot K from an early to a later date. \Vhen the lower roller is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow Z) in Fig. 2, the sheet is rolled on the lower roller and unrolled from the upper roller, and thereby moved downward, and causes the lines of dates to pass in reversed order before the opening or slot K. By this means any date corresponding to the date of an obligation can be found in the first column. Let us suppose that a note is dated March 10. When the said note is in the first column, it is arranged beneath the slot or opening. The second or fifteen-day column, add ing the three days ofgrace, will indicate March 28. The third or thirty-day column will indicate, adding the three days of grace, April 12 as the date of maturity. The fourth or sixty-day column willindicate,addingthethree days of grace, May 12 as the date of maturity, and the filth or niuetyday column will indieate, adding the three days ofgrace, June 11 as the date of maturity. From this it will be understood that the aligned dates in the columns of the table are as much earlier in the first column than in the succeeding columns as will render the dillerence in time between the said dates in the first and any succeeding column equal to the life of any obligation for a period of time within the scope of the table.

I do not wish to be restricted to the arrangement of the dates as herein given, as I am aware that other dates can be chosen to the same end without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In a date-indicator, the combination of.

the case having the grooves B in the opposing sides, the slide or plate I, fitted in the grooves and provided with the slot or opening and forming one side of the case, the rollers journaled in the case, and the sheet having its ends rolled on the said rollers, said sheet having inscribed thereon the table herein described, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a dateiudicator, the hollow case having the slot or opening K, combined with the rollers arranged therein, the sheet having its ends rolled on the rollers, said sheet having inscribed thereon a table having an initial column of dates written in consecutive chronological order, a second column of dates align ing with the dates of the initial column and of a number indicating eighteen days later, covering the period of a fifteen-day promissory note or obligation with the three days ofgrace added, and succeeding columns of consecutive dates in vertical and lateral alignment with the initial column, and covering, respectively, periods of thirty'three, sixty-three, and nine ty-three days, &o., the slot or opening K in the case being of such a length and width that only one date of each column can be seen ata time through the slot or opening K, whereby the day or maturity of any note or obligation for fifteen, thirty, sixty, or ninety days can all be seen at a glance, as set forth.

3. The combination of the case having the grooves B in opposing sides, the slide or plate I, fitted in the grooves and provided with the slot or opening 5, and forming one side of the ease, the rollers journaled in the case, the sheet having its ends rolled on the said rollers, whereby the sheet is stretched across the inner side of the plate or slide I, for the purpose set forth, and the springarms bearing on those portions of the sheet that are rolled on the rollers, substantially described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. MEIXELL.

Vitnesses:

Jlicoin Fae ILY, Uims. M. KUTZ. 

